1-methylcyclopropene treatment and storage conditions delay the ripening of plantain fruit while maintaining sensory characteristics of ampesi, the boiled food product

Huber, D. J.; Johnson, P. N. T.; Berry, A.; Hagan, L. L.; Sargent, S. A.

1-methylcyclopropene treatment and storage conditions delay the ripening of plantain fruit while maintaining sensory characteristics of ampesi, the boiled food product

2017

Huber, D. J. | Johnson, P. N. T. | Berry, A. | Hagan, L. L. | Sargent, S. A.

The effects of 1-MCP application and storage conditions on the ripening characteristics ofmature-green plantains (Musa paradisiacal AAB, var. Falsehorn) and the sensory qualitiesof their boiled Ghanaian plantain pulp product, ampesi, were investigated. Plantain fruit atvon Loesecke ripening stage 2-3 were dipped into a 100 µg l-1 aqueous 1-MCP formulationfor 1 min and stored at 15oC or 30oC and, 75% relative humidity. Data collected were on thephysiological (as CO2 and ethylene production), physicochemical and shelf-life parametersof the plantain. Sensory parameters assessed on the ampesi were appearance, flavor, taste andoverall acceptability. 1-MCP significantly lowered the respiration rate and ethylene production;these effects were more pronounced at 15oC compared with 30oC. 1-MCP treatment significantlyreduced the ripening rate as measured by changes in peel colour, soluble solids content andtotal titratable acidity; keeping quality of the plantain increased 3-fold, from 6 to 21 dayswithout significantly affecting sensory qualities of the ampesi, the boiled plantain pulp product.This work demonstrates that 1-MCP improves the keeping qualities of plantain, significantlyreducing postharvest losses, and would be of tremendous assistance to commercial plantaintraders in the tropics.

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